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Showing posts from November, 2022

Toxoplasma, RhD and risk taking.

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(Image credit: Christoph Hohmann, Nanosystems Initiative Munich (NIM)) Did Schrodinger's Cat have toxoplasmosis? One may well ask what does a widespread protozoan parasite have to do with either the poison, the radioactive source or the ultimate survival of a cat in an experimental box? While it appears counter-intuitive and has nothing whatsoever to do with quantum superposition or entanglement, I can none the less suggest that the poison and stochastic nature of the radioactive source are far less important to the outcome of the “experiment” than Schrodinger’s choice of cat food. While it is obvious that the amount and half-life of the radioactive source determines the probability of the cat’s survival, the effect of both Schrodinger and his cat’s behavior are rarely considered despite the discovery of  a  prehistoric link  between felines and their mammalian prey. To quote Schrodinger: “A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must ...

Wastewater testing for human DNA to identify at-risk communities.

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  There have been many genome-wide association studies regarding COVID-19. Pairo-Castineira et al . details 8 human variants that are associated either with infectivity or serious disease. Nebula Genomics can produce a report based on an individual's DNA test with respect to this publication. In the summary table , it can be seen that this individual is heterozygous for the two most significant variants in this study (rs73064425_T and rs143334143_A). Together with the other relevant variants, this individual has a polygenic score of 98% related to severity of COVID-19. There is some debate relating to infectivity or severity regarding the controls that were used but the general picture of this and several other studies is that our genome plays a role in susceptibility to this disease. Wastewater testing for COVID-19 variants has been a critical part of our COVID-19 response but it does not identify genetically at-risk communities. Life Magnetics uses graphene nano coated magnetic...

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19

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Re:  Paxlovid , COVID-19 and human DNA testing for susceptibility to serious illness Complaint: Queensland Health Department Liaison Office Reference ID:  ZGXVV9VN Whole genome DNA testing has identified several variants in immune system genes that are related to COVID-19 susceptibility. These genes are involved in fighting pathogens and the relative allele frequencies vary greatly both within and between human populations. For example, the leucine zipper transcription factor like 1 (LZTFL1) gene variant called rs73064425_T occurs in 15% of humans on average but some populations have an allele frequency of over 30%. Some people have two copies of the rs73064425_T variant and that would be expected to cause an even greater susceptibility to serious illness. The attached graphic shows the output of a Nebula Genomics report based on  Pairo-Castineira (2020) . This combination of variants produces a polygenic score of 98% for serious COVID-19 illness. Pr...